Calendar for May 3

E-mail announcements to the Gazette, gazette@connectionnewspapers.com. Photos and artwork are encouraged. Deadline is Thursday at noon for the following week's paper. Call Steve Hibbard at 703-778-9412 with questions.

May 3 to 5

Spring Book and Media Sale. Sponsored by the Friends of Duncan Library. Book prices $1 to $5; media $0.50 to $3. Dates are May 3 from 10 a.m.-7 p.m.; May 4 from 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; and May 5 from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. At 2501 Commonwealth Avenue Alexandria. Call 703-746-1705 or duncanlibraryfriends@gmail.com.

May 3, 4, 5

"South Pacific." 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $5/adults; $1/children will be sold at the door. Eighth-grade students from the Burgundy Farm Country Day School will perform the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical. At 3700 Burgundy Road, Alexandria. Call 703-960-3431.

Thursday/May 3

Democrats for a Better Alexandria. 9 a.m. Democrats for a Better Alexandria will announce its endorsement of candidates in the June 12 primary election. At Royal Restaurant, 734 N. St. Asaph St., Alexandria. Contact Jack Sullivan at 703-370-3039.

Friday/May 4

Volunteer for Community Service Day. Event Combines Community Service, Fundraising-and Fun. Volunteers are needed to help in community service projects throughout Alexandria from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Event information: springforalexandria2012.kintera.org http://springforalexandria2012.kintera.org

May 4, 5, 11, 12

"Crazy for You." Tickets are $5/students, seniors; $10/adults. Presented by T.C. Williams Drama Department. Show dates are May 4, 5, 11, 12 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets available at the door. The whole family will enjoy this upbeat show, which features a humorous plot, impressive dance numbers, and unforgettable songs, including “I Got Rhythm” and “Someone to Watch Over Me.”

Midnight Yoga X. 9-10:30 p.m. Midnight Yoga X is set to become a signature jam on the first Saturday of each month. Designed for rebels and truth seekers alike, we're talking deep hot fluid asana sequences set to great music for a real Saturday Spiritual High! All rebels welcome! COST: $15 prior to 5/2. At 532Yoga, 532 N. Washington St., Alexandria. Email suzanne@532Yoga.com, www.532Yoga.com

Simpson Demonstration Garden Open House. 9 to 11 a.m. At 420 E. Monroe Avenue, Alexandria. Tour five gardens, each of which demonstrates a separate theme — waterwise, flagstone, tufa, butterfly and scented gardening. The gardens are located between the YMCA and Eugene Simpson baseball stadium. Park in the YMCA lot. Visit www.mgnv.org.

St. Luke's Barbecue. 11 a.m. Besides slow-cooked North Carolina-style chopped pork BBQ, the church will be offering grilled chicken, hot dogs, beans, cole slaw and soft drinks. Proceeds support church activities and community outreach. St. Luke's is located at 8009 Fort Hunt Road, Alexandria.

Bowties & Belles, a Kentucky Derby Party. 4 to 7:30 p.m. (Televised racetime is 6:15 p.m.) Tickets are $100/patrons; $80/individuals. Features an afternoon of watching the Kentucky Derby, a raffle, silent auction, cocktail reception. Sponsored by the Junior Friends of The Campagna Center. Proceeds help support programs of The Campagna Center. At Collingwood on the Potomac, 8301 East Boulevard Dr., Alexandria. Parking is available across the GW Parkway at Aldersgate United Methodist Church, 1301 Collingwood Rd. Visit www.CampagnaCenter.org.

Sunday/May 6

Prenatal Yoga and Dance for Conscious Birthing. 12-2 p.m. Enhance your comfort, enjoyment, and relaxation during all prenatal trimesters! Develop greater vitality and awareness of your body that is home for two, and deepen your relationship with your baby. This workshop is an introduction to an 8-week prenatal course commending Sunday, 20 May at 11:15 a.m. No previous yoga experience necessary. COST: $35 prior to 5/2 or $40 thereafter. At 532Yoga, 532 N. Washington St., Alexandria; email suzanne@532Yoga.com, www.532Yoga.com

Art at Home. Noon to 1:30 p.m. and 2 to 3:30 p.m. (Two seatings). Tickets are $15. New Interior Design Interactive Lecture Series introduced at the Torpedo Factory Art Center. Interior designer Mary Mitchell will show how to layer design elements with furnishings and the visual arts to create an environment unique to every home owner. At Studio 325, Torpedo Factory Art Center, 105 North Union St., Alexandria. Visit http://www.torpedofactory.org; www.torpedofactory.org; or call 703-838-4565.

Titan Expo. 1 to 5 p.m. A community fair, will be held on the front lawn of T.C. Williams High School. Featuring games, moon bounce, bingo, food, book sale, and the ever popular car bash. All proceeds support the Scholarship Fund of Alexandria. T.C. Williams is located at 3330 King Street, Alexandria. Call 703-824-6868.

Monday/May 7

Children and Trauma. 6:30 to 9 p.m. Free. Featuring guest speaker Margaret Dowell who will discuss the connection between trauma and behavior. At The Lyceum, 201 S. Washington St., Alexandria. Call 703-746-3579 or email latanya.wooten@alexandriava.gov.

Tuesday/May 8

Swing Dancing. 9 to 11 p.m. Admission is $10. With the Bay Jazz Project. At the Carlyle Club, 411 John Carlyle St., Alexandria.

National Foster Care Month Appreciation Event. 6:15-8 p.m. Adolescent and Family Growth Center, Inc. (AFGC), in honor of National Foster Care Month, will pay tribute to families and the amazing work of its therapeutic foster parents. Join us and see how: "Kids Grow Better in a Family." Call 703-425-9200 or visit www.afgcinc.com.

Belle Haven Women's Club Spring Fashion Show. "Bright, Bold and Beautiful." Cocktails 6:30 p.m.; Dinner and Fashion Show 7:30 p.m. Sponsored by Bloomingdales. Tickets: $60/members; $70/guests. No tickets will be sold at the door. Send checks payable to BHWC, c/o Fran Slade, 6016 Grove Drive, Alexandria, VA. To be held at Belle Haven Country Club in Alexandria.

May 10, 17, 23, 31

“Tea” Talk. 10:15 a.m. Experience the world through Tea with your guide, Lee Maguire. Join tea aficionado and Hollin Hall Senior Center Assistant Lee as he leads this four-part series about the world’s second cheapest drink. Learn about the history of tea, its role in society, and how it has even changed history. Participate in blind tea tastings and help decide what tea best captures the essence of Hollin Hall Senior Center. At 1500 Shenandoah Road, Alexandria. Call 703-765-4573.

Friday/May 11

Bid and Win Dinner/Auction. 6:30 to 10:30 p.m. The Cocktail Social and Silent Auction will run from 6:30 to 9 p.m. A Buffet featuring London Broil and Chicken will be offered from 7 to 9 p.m. and the night will cap off with a Live Auction. Tickets are $40 each. Sponsored by the Fort Belvoir Officers' Spouses' Club. At 5500 Schulz Circle, Fort Belvoir. To reserve your tickets or offer an item for donation contact Boscfundraiser@gmail.com or 540-847-1467.

Music for Oboe. 8 p.m. Free concert. At The Lyceum, 201 South Washington St., Alexandria. Call The United States Air Force Band's Concert Line at 202-767-5658 or visit www.usafband.af.mil.

Free Bee Yard Sale. 8 a.m. until 11 a.m., the Free Bee “Shop for Free” Yard Sale" being held at the Faith United Methodist Church Campus, 7010 Harrison Lane, Alexandria. The Woodlawn Faith United Methodist Women (WFUMW) have collected donated items, and will set them out on tables like a traditional yard sale, but everything is free. Contact Maria Teel, President of WFUMW at 703-496-6380.

Barbershop Chorus Concert. 7 p.m. and 2 p.m. Admission is $20. Fairfax Jubil-Aires present “A Salute to the Troops and Moms.” At the Ernst Theater, NVCC Annandale Campus, 8333 Little River Turnpike, Annandale. Order tickets at: www.fairfaxjubilaires.org or call Ron at 703-975-7844; tickets also can be purchased at the door.

"This Old House." 10 a.m. Watch episode 2 of "This Old House" that was filmed in Alexandria. General contractor Tom Silva heads to Alexandria to restore the windows in a home built by George Washington. Afterward, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey installs a water filter at a kitchen sink. Airing on WETA-TV 26 and WETA HD.

Garden of Light Reception. 3 to 5 p.m. Help put an end to domestic violence by attending the Bethany House reception. Tickets are $55/person. At the Holiday Inn and Suites, 625 First Street, Alexandria. Visit www.bhnv.org or call 703-658-9500.

American Balalaika Symphony Spring Concert. 8 p.m. Tickets are $20/advance; $25/door. Peter Trofimenko and The American Balalaika Symphony welcome Spring with How a Peasant Went to a Fair — An ordinary tale told through extraordinary music. Travel back in time to a place where the pace was slow, the pleasures simple, and spring, a time of wonder and delight. With works by Andreyev, Tsygankov, Shalov, Gorodovskaya, Kachalin and more. Featuring ABS balalaika soloist Ekaterina Borodulina. At the Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall and Arts Center,

BBQ Fundraising Dinner. 4:30 to 6 p.m. Admission is $10. The Women's Auxiliary of the Salvation Army Alexandria is hosting its BBQ Fundraising Dinner. Dinner is sponsored by RockLands Real Barbeque. Show Military ID at the door and receive a 10% discount. Tickets are available through Auxiliary Members or calling TSA at 703-836-2427. Event is held at The Salvation Army Citadel Corps, 1804 Mt. Vernon Ave., Alexandria.

Symposium on Historic Clothing. 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Historic Pohick Church Docents Guild is sponsoring a "Symposium on Historic Clothing at Historic Pohick Church" covering the 18th and early 19th centuries. Speakers for this event are costume historians Mary Doering, Colleen Callahan, and Newbie Richardson. Tickets are $75 ($65 for students), which includes lunch and a tour of the church. Deadline for registration is April 27, and space is limited. For ticket information contact Charlotte Knipling at 703-339-8196 or c.knipling@gmail.com.

Explore Alexandria's Firefighting History. 1 p.m. Tickets are $6/adults; $4/youth. The walking tour, "Blazing a Trail: Alexandria's Firefighting Past." As they walk through Old Town, participants will learn about volunteer firefighting in early Alexandria and stop at historic buildings that once served as fire stations. At Friendship Firehouse, 107 South Alfred St., Old Town Alexandria. Visit www.friendshipfirehouse.net or by calling 703-746-4994.

Civil War Crimean Oven Lecture. 1 p.m. Admission is $10. Fort Ward Museum will sponsor a lecture on “The Story of Alexandria’s Civil War Crimean Ovens and Camp California.” The lecture will be presented by Wally Owen, Assistant Director at Fort Ward Museum, 4301 West Braddock Road, Alexandria. Visit www.fortward.org, or call 703-746-4848.

May 12 and May 13

"Biblical Girl: Eve’s Big Fat Family Reunion." Eve’s daughters – and a few sons – come home to the Garden of Eden for a holiday family reunion in this engaging new musical. Two workshop performances, Saturday, May 12 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, May 13 at 3 p.m. Free and open to the public; cash donation requested at the door. In the LAB at Convergence, 1801 N. Quaker Lane, Alexandria.

Sunday/May 13

Mother's Day Open House. 1 to 5 p.m. Free. Take in the artwork while strolling through studios and galleries as you enjoy a lively Mother’s Day afternoon filled with treats and sweets, artist demonstrations, and special spring activities. At the Torpedo Factory Art Center, 105 N. Union St., Alexandria. Call 703-838-4565, www.torpedofactory.org.

Mother’s Day Tea at Carlyle House. 2 p.m. Tickets are $27/person. Guests will enjoy finger sandwiches, scones with orange marmalade, banana or lemon tea bread, a Mother's Day desserts of Petite Fours, Cheesecake with Strawberries and Powdered Shortbread Tea Cookies all while sipping special blend spring teas from Tea & Spice Exchange of Alexandria. At Carlyle House Historic Park, 121 N. Fairfax St., Old Town Alexandria. Contact Carlyle House at 703-549-2997 or e-mail: carlyle@nvrpa.org

Swing Dancing. 9 to 11 p.m. Admission is $10. With The Thrillbillies. At the Carlyle Club, 411 John Carlyle St., Alexandria.

Mount Vernon Genealogical Society. 1 p.m. Free. John Philip Colletta will present, "Turning Biographical Facts into Real Life Events." This lecture demonstrates how to turn biographical facts into the real-life experiences they were; how to gather together and evaluate evidence about a particular event, including its historical context, to “individualize” every ancestor in your family tree. At Hollin Hall Senior Center, Room 112, 1500 Shenandoah Road, in Alexandria. Contact Phyllis Kelley at 703-660-6969 or mailto:publicity@mvgenealogy.org publicity@mvgenealogy.org.

Swing Dancing. 9 to 11 p.m. Admission is $10. With the band, The Cutaways. At Nick's Nightclub, 642 South Pickett St., Alexandria.

Thursday, May 17

“Pennsylvania Railroad.” 10 a.m. Model Railroad Club presents the story of the Pennsylvania Railroad, the history of the famous Broadway Limited Passenger Train, the Pennsylvania Railroad and World War II, and HO display of PRR Locomotives and Cars. At Hollin Hall Senior Center, 1500 Shenandoah Road, Alexandria. Call 703-765-4573.

Spring Flower Show. 12 to 3 p.m. Free. At Plymouth Haven Baptist Church, 8532 Fort Hunt Road, Alexandria. Presented by the Garden Club of Waynewood, which is celebrating 50 years of gardening, education, service and friendship.

Consciously Exploring Your Legacy. 10:30 a.m. Free. Bev Hitchins of Alexandria is a professional organizer who will show seniors how to shed light on clutter so they can let go and move on. At The Fountains at Washington House, 5100 Fillmore Ave., Alexandria. Space is limited and reservations are required. Call 703-845-5000.

Music for Woodwind Quintet. 8 p.m. Free. At The Lyceum, 201 South Washington St., Alexandria. Call The United States Air Force Band's Concert Line at 202-767-5658 or visit homepage: www.usafband.af.mil www.usafband.af.mil

Lion Chef Invitational. 7 to 10 p.m. Professional and amateur chefs alike will compete using the “not-so-secret” ingredient: lemons, in five categories: cocktails, appetizers/soups, main course, dessert, and African dish. Funds raised by the event will be used to support the programs in FHSSA, which focuses on expanding access to palliative care services in Africa. At the Madison Building Atrium of the United States Patent and Trademark Office in Alexandria. Call 703-647-5167 or visit www.fhssa.org/lionchef2012.

Boutique's Give Back Charity Day. Some 30 retailers from the Old Town Boutique District and 30 charities will be participating. On this day, retailers will create an activity or promotion in their stores that would benefit that charity of choice. To be held at participating stores in the Old Town Boutique District. A listing of shops and charities is at www.oldtownboutiquedistrict.com.

Sidewalk Sale for ALIVE. 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. On South Payne street between Commerce and Prince Streets, Old Town Alexandria. Rain date Sunday, May 20. Donations are welcomed. Bring to the Ice House, 200 Commerce St., Saturdays May 5 and 12 from 9-5 p.m., Sundays May 6 and 13 from 1-5 p.m. Call 703-684-1430 or email alivehouse@alive-inc.org or more information and for pick up of large items. A fundraiser to benefit ALIVE! House Women's Shelter.

Fort Tours. 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Soldier-led tours of historic Fort Ward will be held in honor of Armed Forces Day. The tours will feature museum staff member Kevin Moriarty in Union uniform, providing an orientation to the defenses of Washington and a guided tour of historic Fort Ward, one of the largest of the forts that guarded the Federal capital during the Civil War. At Fort Ward Museum & Historic Site, 4301 West Braddock Road, Alexandria. Visit www.fortward.org, or call 703-746-4848.

Sidewalk Sale for ALIVE! 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. At South Payne Street between Commerce and Prince Streets. Donations are welcomed. Bring donations to the Ice House, 200 Commerce St., on Saturdays, May 5 and 12, from 9 to 5 p.m., or Sundays, May 6 and 13 from 1 to 5 p.m. Call 703-684-1430 or email alivehouse@alive-inc.org for pick up of large items. Volunteers are needed to organize donations,

price, and sell!

Fort Ward Tours. 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Soldier-led tours of historic Fort Ward will be held in honor of Armed Forces Day at Fort Ward Museum & Historic Site. The tours are free, and begin in the Museum. No reservations are required. Tours are weather dependent. Fort Ward Museum & Historic Site is located at 4301 West Braddock Road, Alexandria. Visit www.fortward.org, or call 703-746-4848.

Historic Huntley Re-opens. A rare architectural gem, Huntley House, located at 6918 Harrison Lane in Alexandria, will open to the public on Saturday, May 19. This is a significant accomplishment after the property, which was acquired by the Fairfax County Park Authority in 1989, sat vacant for many years waiting for funding to enable historic restoration. The house is a federal period villa built in 1825 for Thomson Francis Mason, a grandson of George Mason. The house is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Virginia Landmarks Register, and the Fairfax County Inventory of Historic Sites. Historic Huntley was used as a summer retreat, troops of the 3rd Michigan infantry camped at Huntley during the Civil War and later the property was farmed. It changed ownership several times, and in later years, after being abandoned, it suffered considerable vandalism.

Spring Concert. 7 p.m. The Wakefield Chorale will present its annual Spring Concert — 30 Years of Song with "Our Music Man." Tickets available at door. At the Ernst Cultural Center, Annandale Campus, NOVA Community College. Call 703-451-7917.

Cosmic Quest. 2 to 4 p.m. The Alexandria Symphony Orchestra will present its annual Children’s Arts Festival, “Cosmic Quest,” at T.C. Williams High School, 3330 King St. in Alexandria. In addition to activities that range from face painting, yoga, and an instrument petting zoo, the symphony will present two concerts featuring selections from Holst’s The Planets. Tickets $5, free parking.

Monday/May 21

Mini Open House. 1 p.m. Tour Hollin Hall Senior Center with Jan Kestyn, enjoy refreshments, and peek in on some ongoing sessions. An opportunity to participate in programs on this day. Questions? Call 703-765-4573.

Mount Vernon Genealogical Society. 1 p.m. Free. John Philip Colletta will present "Turning Biographical Facts into Real Life Events. At Hollin Hall Senior Center, Room 112, 1500 Shenandoah Road, Alexandria. Information about the meeting, the Research Center and MVGS can be found at http://www.MVGenealogy.org. Call Phyllis Kelley at 703-660-6969 or publicity@mvgenealogy.org.

Boating Safety Courses. An eight-week comprehensive safety course which includes basic piloting and navigation. Three classes will be held at various locations in Northern Virginia beginning on May 22, July 24 and Sept. 25. Fee is $40 for members and $50 for non-members. Contact Sean Gallagher at education@NVSPS.org or 703-625-1500.

Civil War Concert. 7 p.m. Free. Featuring the Washington Revels Heritage Voices at Fort Ward's Amphitheatre. Their repertoire of Civil War music includes military and patriotic songs, African American spirituals, and popular folk tunes from the period. Fort Ward Museum and Park is located at 4301 West Braddock Road, Alexandria. Visit www.fortward.org, or call 703-746-4848.

Saturday/May 26

Unsinkable Women, Stories and Songs of the Titanic. 8 p.m. A one-woman show written and performed by actress Deborah Jean Templin, who toured with the Broadway production of the musical “Titanic.” The 90-minute program tells the story of nine different women who sailed on the ill-fated luxury liner. Tickets are $35. Visit www.victoriansocietyatfallschurch.com or contact Terry Hooper at 703-241-2751. To purchase tickets, mail your check, made out to the VSFC, to P.O. Box 7436, Falls Church, VA 22040 Attn: Unsinkable Women. At The Lyceum in Alexandria.

College of Running and Pre-Race Expo. 12 noon to 6 p.m., at Westin Hotel, 400 Courthouse Square, Alexandria. Free to the public. Visit exhibits by Alexandria organizations and others. Listen to guest speakers. Sign up for Alexandria Running Festival the next day. See www.mc-coop.org/arf or call 703-927-4833.

Contribute to Time Capsule. Youth up to age 18 are invited to submit an essay or art work representing the present day library. Submit on 8 1/2 by 11 inch paper. Entries should be submitted at Martha Washington Library, 6614 Fort Hunt Road, Alexandria. Entries will be placed in the time capsule to be opened in 50 years. Deadline to enter is June 1. Call 703-768-9840.

June 2

Volunteer Training. Curious about early American medicine and health? Then consider volunteering as a tour guide at the Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary in historic Old Town Alexandria. The Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum, at 105-107 South Fairfax Street, is hosting a new volunteer training June 2 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. This three-hour class includes a tour and the basics of giving museum tours. Pre-registration is required. Volunteers can complete an application online through www.apothecarymuseum.org or email Michele.longo@alexandriava.gov. Visit www.apothecarymuseum.org or call 703-746-3852.

SkateFest / Sk8 For a Cause. A fundraiser for the Children's Hospital National Medical Center. After completing the Sk8 For a Cause 4-checkpoint course through Wakefield Skate Park, skateboarders, their families and friends enjoy a day of skateboard competitions, vendors, food, demos, auctions, music and more. Visit www.skatefestfairfax.com

Saturday/June 23

Alexandria Food and Wine Festival. Noon to 5 p.m. At John Carlyle Square, 300 John Carlyle Street, in Old Town Alexandria. This is a free event to attend; however tickets are needed to sample food and beverages. Each booklet is comprised of a total of 25 taste tickets at the price of $20. Each food item costs between 1 to 5 tickets. Participating Restaurants and wineries includes: Restaurants--The Chart House, Delia’s, San Antonio Bar and Grill, Walker’s Grille, Clydes at Mark Center, Rita’s, Indigo Landing, La Tasca, and Jamieson Grille; Wineries—Mattaponi Winery, Unicorn Winery, Prince Michel Vineyard and Winery, Lake Anna Winery, Glass House Winery, DelFosse Vineyard and Winery and Cedar Creek Winery. Call 703-624-0245 or visit www.alexandriafoodandwine.com.

June 23

Del Ray Music Festival. 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. A wide variety of music, including: jazz, blues, folk, country, Latin, reggae, and rock. Also food and games. To be held on the Mt. Vernon Recreation Center Fields, 2701 Commonwealth Ave., in Del Ray. Del Ray Music Week will be taking place from June 18-22, will host over 30 local musicians and bands as they perform along “The Avenue” at local Del Ray businesses from 5 to 10 p.m. Visit www.delraymusicfestival.com.

Tuesday/June 26

Hands on History Tent. 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Come build your own model sailboat and race it against others. Other activities include designing a flag, writing with a quill pen and trying on colonial clothes. The event is free, sailboat craft $5, and designed for children ages 3-12. At Carlyle House Historic Park, 121 N. Fairfax St., Old Town Alexandria. Call 703-549-2997 or e-mail: carlyle@nvrpa.org.

Open Through September 2013 – Occupied City: Life in Civil War Alexandria Exhibition

Open daily at The Lyceum, “Occupied City: Life in Civil War Alexandria” examines life in an American town seized and held by its own Federal government, following Virginia’s decision to secede from the Union in May 1861. See how Robert E. Lee’s hometown of Alexandria was transformed literally overnight from a bustling commercial port into a supply, hospital, and transportation center for the Union Army, and find out why Alexandria became a destination for African Americans seeking freedom. The Lyceum (201 South Washington Street) is open Monday through Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Suggested admission is $2. For more information, visit www.alexandriahistory.org or call 703.746.4994.

Open Through 2012– The Marshall House Incident Exhibition

This exhibit at Fort Ward features objects from the museum collection, like a star from the flag that had flown over Marshall House, and loan items from the Mary Custis Lee Chapter of the Daughters of the Confederacy, to tell the notable story about the event that launched the Civil War in Alexandria. Fort Ward Museum (4301 West Braddock Road) is open Tuesday through Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, from noon to 5 p.m. For more information, visit www.fortward.org or call 703.746.4848.